The Day My Life Stood Still

Her mother lay exhausted.
She was asleep moments following the birth.
I was the first to hold her.

She fit in the palm of my hand.
I held her tiny, warm body against mine.
Looking upon her was like looking into a mirror.
We were a part of one another and I was comforted.

The following years were full of love.
An ever-present love that embodied us completely.
No matter the distance, we were connected.

Her eighteenth birthday was approaching,
And I realized we had not spoken in days.
We were avoiding each other.
The days seemed like an eternity.

It was extremely late when the phone rang.
The time of evening when a call only comes bearing words with trouble or tragedy.
The ring was harsh and relentless.
I could not calm myself, but I knew I must answer.

Surprisingly, it was my identical twin brother on the other end of the line.
“The time has come for you to speak with your niece”.
We sat in silence.
I said nothing.
He repeated himself and hung up the phone.

She insisted we meet at my brother’s home.
We were conflicted with anger and sadness.  
We came to an impasse, agreeing to continue at another time.
We both stood up.
She said, “I love you so Unky D!”.
I was stubborn.  Prideful.
There was no forgiveness within me.
I lowered my head and said nothing.

She turned and hurried into the house, crying out to her mother;
“He won’t say I love you!!!!”

She disappeared into the house, but I could hear her sobbing.
I could not see her, but I knew she was gripping onto her mother.

Our connection now became a lightning bolt of pain!
I stood frozen.
The sadness was unbearable.
I lost all sense of reality.
Standing, yet disconnected from the earth.
I turned and walked away.

I died that day.